Wax On Wax Off

I have some pots of Creative Expressions gilding wax. They have been stored in a box for quite some time with their lids on tight.

When I fished them out this week to use them - aarrrghh - all dried up!

I just ended up getting wax everywhere except on the project, trying to soften it with the warmth of my finger - I'm still picking bits of wax out from underneath my nail, ugh - all I learnt from that was, body heat does not soften wax.

So, I did what I always do when stuck with something - I googled it.

Google has become my 'bff' over the last couple of years, if I want the answer to a question, if I can't figure out how to do something...the cry goes up in this house...Google it!

And for the most part, I get the solution. However, on this occasion there were so many different remedies, I decided to go to Creative Expressions themselves.

I posted on their facebook page first and a very helpful lady did respond with a solution. Unfortunately, Creative Expressions never responded to my email :-(

Anyway, whilst I was waiting for someone to respond from FB/CE, I decided to try my own remedy.

I took myself off to good ol' Wilkos - who sell everything - and bought some Turps Substitute. I poured a tiny amount into one of the pots, put the lid back on and left it for a while.

When I came back to it - presto - nice soft wax and I was able to finish my frame project - photo to follow soon.

I suspect most seasoned crafters already know that you can use this stuff on dried out wax but just thought I would share it for anyone who isn't in the know.

Busy Doing Nothing...

I have been a bit quiet for the last couple of days because as this post title says:

"I'm busy doing nothing
Working the whole day through
Trying to find lots of things not to do"

At the end of January, the o.h and I went to Dublin for a few days - we don't buy for each other at Christmas anymore, we use the money we would have spent to have a few days away in Jan or Feb when it's nice and quiet everywhere - the day before we came back, I started to feel a bit unwell and the day after we got back, I had developed a full blown hideous cold, sore throat, cough, the whole shabang.
Needless to say, I spent most of the time in bed and the craftroom was neglected.
Since recovering, which must be at least a fortnight now, I have created the grand total of one card for the o.h's mother, oh and I baked a chocolate cake but that doesn't count cos I can always make cake.
When I started feeling better, I made an attempt to carry on with a frame I'm altering, I shouldn't have bothered - it just wasn't happening so I vacated and shut the door on it all. 
Now, I just cannot get motivated. I've heard people say that "they can't find their mojo", well mine has well and truly upped and left! I don't really have a creative thought in my head and I'm finding myself just getting on with the mundane household chores, then sitting down to watch mindless television in the afternoons - not good, not good at all.
I have ventured into the craftroom this afternoon, the frame is where I left it - unfortunately it had not miraculously created itself. So I sat, elbows on the desk, chin in hands and stared at it for a while, half heartedly added some gilding wax, fine glitter and spiders web, then abandoned it - AGAIN!
Not sure what I'm going to do about this state of affairs. I'm not sure if it's a lack of the mojo or just plain laziness. I do know this - it doesn't do for me to have any time away from that room!
The birthday card for the in-law...I couldn't even stamp the image on straight!  

(created with layered background papers, die cut 'doily', lots of distress ink - good ol' Tim Holtz, stamped and painted image, paper flowers, gems, lace)



Stupidity & Kindness

Good morning all.

Up and at 'em this morning - managed to cobble together a fruitcake and get it in the oven by 8.30 this morning woke up with my baking head on which just gives me time to relay what the o.h has just told me when he's gotten in from work just now.

He is an HGV driver, working nights, delivering to the company depots up and down this country. As he drove further south, the weather got progressively worse. He said he has never had to fight so hard with the steering wheel. He was driving along one of the minor roads in the south of the country, and saw up ahead of him (but only just because it was so dark) a large tree coming down across the road. This brought his journey to a stand still so phone calls had to be made and he had to sit and wait.

The tree had not quite landed on the road, just sort of straddling it and cars on the other side could drive underneath it and that is what they were doing - and not slowing down to do so!

A recovery van had been travelling behind the o.h and so between him and that driver they decided to try and get these car drivers to slow down before they reached the tree.

They both stood on the verge in different places doing the appropriate signalling and pointing. They were both wearing hi viz, all of the trucks lights were on, indicators flashing etc, the recovery van's hazard light was flashing and not one car driver slowed down! They all just continued to drive at speed, past them and under the tree.

In the end the o.h and the recovery man decided it wasn't worth standing there, putting themselves at risk, when apparently all the car drivers in that area had got their stupid head that night.

So both of them got in the recovery van to sit and chat until someone turned up to sort it out. There were some houses nearby and a young teenage lad came across and asked them if they would like a hot drink and something to eat - parents had sent him out to ask :-) so bless him he brought them out a cup of tea each. This was in the early hours of the morning so was much appreciated by both.

The police then arrived with some 'tree' people who then cut the tree up and removed it from the road so two and a half hours later, the o.h could get on with his night shift.

My o.h experienced two traits of the human race last night - stupidity and kindness. Now everyone is capable of stupid behaviour BUT last night that stupidity could have meant someone not going home to their family!

I feel for the people who are flooded and have their power cut off but this weather also affects those who have to work in it, those whose jobs mean that they are on the roads, such as my o.h and that recovery man.

So come on people, have some respect for your own lives as well as those you're sharing the road with.   

Happy Valentines Day

It's a very cold Valentines here in North Yorkshire.
So I will be avoiding leaving the house and instead will be in the craftroom getting on with some unfinished projects.
What I really want to do is make new stuff but I have more than enough unfinished ones that are sitting there, staring at me accusingly every time I walk into the room!
So that is my plan for today so I will be back later.
In the meantime, here is a pic of the screensaver I did for the o.h for Valentines - couldn't be bothered with a real card tch tch ;-)

My First Day!

This is my very first day of my very first blog...hello there to whoever may have stumbled across this and has stopped for a mo to read it!
I am new to this and I was very nervous about whether I would actually have anything to say. It feels like you are just talking or rather typing to yourself, how do I know that anyone is 'listening' ? I have been following one or two other blogs and I wonder at how they find something to write about every day!
So I guess I should start with who I am and what I do and we'll see how it goes.
My name is Deb and my company is called PurpleDreamDesign. I am a designer maker of handmade goodies, including beaded jewellery, occasion cards, scrapbook memory cards and all manner of decorative bits and pieces.
I began making beaded jewellery a few years ago, then discovered paper craft and altered art not long after and now I try and do a bit of crafting most days.
My favourite things to do are altered projects and I love shabby, grungy, steampunk styling.
I began with commissions, mostly for cards, from family members and then dipped my toe in the waters of selling online. It is such a buzz when someone buys your design and then gives you positive feedback on it.
I currently use two online craft sites to sell my work but am about to create my own website where I hope to sell craft supplies as well as my designs.
Well, I think that will do for my first post and hopefully I will have something to add very soon!
Happy Crafting :-)